Horizon III

★ 5 · Shuo Cong · 2025-06-21

A Satisfying and Memorable Week on the Horizon III Overall, my liveaboard experience with the Horizon III in the Maldives was deeply satisfying. It's an excellent choice for divers who prioritize safety, great service, and incredible diving over luxury frills. The crew's dedication made the trip truly special, and I came away with fantastic memories. What Made the Trip Great Outstanding Service: The crew, especially our room boy, was incredibly helpful and attentive. Any small issue I pointed out was resolved almost immediately. The mandatory tip of $150 USD for the week felt completely justified and well-deserved given the high level of service. Safety-First Diving: I was very impressed with the dive team. They were professional, organized, and put safety above all else. Dive groups were thoughtfully arranged based on experience levels, which made for comfortable and enjoyable dives for everyone. Detailed & Honest Briefings: The dive briefings were excellent. The guides provided thorough details for each site and were upfront about potential difficulties, like strong currents. The team always checked the conditions beforehand; if a current felt too strong, they would switch to a safer, alternative site without hesitation. Delicious Fresh Fruit: A small but wonderful detail was the abundance of delicious tropical fruit available on the boat. It was the perfect snack between dives. A Heartwarming Surprise: The crew, led by the wonderful Cha Cha, went out of their way to plan a surprise celebration for my 100th dive and another guest's birthday. It was an incredibly thoughtful gesture that made the trip unforgettable. Good to Know Before You Book Economical Comfort: As a more budget-friendly liveaboard, the accommodations are practical but not luxurious. The rooms are on the smaller side, and the variety of food, while good, isn't extensive. This is a trade-off for the affordable price. First & Last Day Itinerary: Be aware that your first and last days are spent on the boat while it's docked in Malé, not out at remote dive sites. Additional Costs: Enriched Air (Nitrox) is available but comes at an additional cost. Feeding Dives: The itinerary includes a few dives where marine life is fed to attract them. This is something to be aware of if you have a preference for or against this practice. Final Thoughts I had a fantastic time with the Horizon III team and would happily recommend them. The positive and safety-conscious atmosphere they create is top-notch. I'm already thinking about my next trip with them—maybe the Deep South route next time!

★ 5 · Silvana Tscherfinger · 2024-09-11

Die Woche war perfekt. Wir mschen die Central Maldives Route. Wir haben viele Haie (inkl. Walhai, Bullenhai) und Mantas (auch in der Nacht) gesehen. Auf dem Boot waren zwar über 20 Taucher, in unserer Gruppe mit dem Guide Cha Cha waren aber nur 5 👍 Cha Cha war ein super Guide, die Sicherheit ist ihm sehr wichtig. Auch Maa'dhu hat das Briefing jeweils hervorragend gemacht. Das Boot ist sehr gut ausgestattet. Es ist sehr gross, hat viele Liegeflächen und sehr grosszügige Zimmer mit Ablageflächen. Das Essen und der Service war auch super. Man fühlte sich sehr gut aufgehoben 🤩 Vielen Dank an die ganze Crew. Silvana und Ivo

★ 4 · Anthony Wright · 2024-05-31

Most valuable lesson for me - when you book out of season, anticipate changes to the itinerary because of unseasonable weather and prepare for Plan B, C etc all the way to Z. Admittedly according to the crew it was the worst weather in the Maldives for 5 years, so it was no surprise that we didn't see as much above or below the water, as we might have expected and hence it had been a discounted price. That said, we did see some amazing manta rays, black and white tipped reef sharks, a couple of turtle species, more nurse-sharks than we knew what to do with and the whole array of fish life associated with the Indian ocean as well as some of the most incredible coral gardens, so all was not lost by any means. Despite the weather the Dive Manager did a good job of squeezing in 15 dives, though a couple of sites we hit twice and one or two were such poor visibility that we really didn't see anything. The team on board did the best they could under challenging circumstance and the majority of the divers were good humoured about the challenges we faced. The un-Maldivian weather highlighted a few issues with maintenance on the boat, but the crew went to extra lengths to fix things as soon as it was practical to do so and the land-based manager was quick to aknowledge the problems and assured us that the boat is booked in for dry dock and some serious upgrades this summer and a complete overhaul next year. To lift the spirits, the food was genuinely excellent with amazing efforts being made to accommodate gluten free and other dietary requests. The buffet's were plentiful and varied, and short of serving cock-au-vin, I think every dish we could have wanted was prepared, splendidly. Met some wonderful people and had an awesome week regardless of the weather! Will definitely be back to find the whale-sharks before too long.